Toy Story 3

I'm not a huge fan of sequels unless a film is made from a book (i.e. The Twilight Saga, Harry Potter) or if it was originally written in multiple parts like the Saw movies.  There are times, however, where a series of sequels help continue telling the story.  My personal favorite being the Shrek series.  I wasn't too sure what to think about Toy Story 3, especially since Disney has a reputation for making not so great sequels.  (Anyone see The Little Mermaid 2 or Cinderella 2? Yeah neither did I.)  I was especially skeptic seeing as the original Toy Story was released 15 years before, and Toy Story 2 was released over ten years ago.  Still, seeing as it's a Disney and Pixar classic (back when Disney movies were good) and it's nominated for 5 Oscars, I decided to give it a chance, and I'm glad I did.
A quick summary on Toy Story 3.  Andy's leaving for college, and the toys worry about their future.  His mother gives him the option to take stuff to college with him or put it in the attic.  Everything else will get thrown out.  Deciding to take Woody with him, being his oldest doll, he puts all the other toys in the attic.  Of course being a guy, he puts those toys in a trash bag which accidentally gets sent to the curb for the garbage truck to pick it up.  Some how those crazy toys wind up on their way to daycare where their nightmare begins.  After reprogramming Buzz, a delicious smelling bear, Lotso (Ned Beatty, Otis from Superman  and 2) traps the toys in a makeshift jail, not letting them out.  Woody tries to get back to Andy, but is picked up by a little girl, Bonnie, and taken home.  Bonnie's toys help him get back to the daycare to save the other toys.  The rest of the film is about the toys' adventure out of the daycare, and the dangers they face getting back to Andy.
Toy Story 3 is the classic tale of everyone's favorite toys, the cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks), his partner and best friend Jessie (Joan Cusack), and the spaceman Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen).  Along with their sidekicks Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (Don Rickles and Estelle Harris; which all you Disney fans know her from the Suite Life of Zack and Cody), Rex (Wallace Shawn; Clueless {the movie} and Gossip Girl), Hamm (John Ratzenberger; everyone's favorite mailman on Cheers), and Slinky Dog (Blake Clark) along with many others.  What sets this sequel apart from many others is the fact that the film has the same celebrity voices as the original.  So many times I've seen a film (animated or live action) ruined because they couldn't or didn't keep the same cast.  No matter how famous or busy Hanks and Allen were (which they probably have been pretty free lately) they still took the time out to voice their lovable characters.  Even John Morris has played the voice of Andy for all three movies.  (By the way, I've seen his picture and now I know why he does cartoons only.  Good choice John).  And because of this, I can honestly believe that Andy has grown up.
Lee Unkrich(Finding Nemo, Monster, Inc.) directed Toy Story 3, and he also directed Toy Story 2 keeping with the consistency of both films.  I think it's important to keep the director for all films unless there's good reason to change it up (i.e, all three Twilight films have a different director.  It's not a coincidence that the acting is improving).  Of course it's not that hard to direct carton characters, so let's give the writers some credit for staying with the storyline.  Wondering why this Toy Story was funnier than the others?  That's probably because the screenplay was written by Michael Arndt who also wrote Little Miss Sunshine.  Toy Story 3 has been nominated for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay).
Toy Story 3 has also been nominated for Best Picture, a title also held by Up in 2009 and Beauty in the Beast in 199, and Best Animated Feature Film.  Beauty and the Beast was actually the only animated film to ever be nominated for an Academy Award before 2001.  Then in 2001 the category "Best Animated Feature" was added to the Oscar lineup.  Toy Story 3 is only the third animated film to be nominated for Best Picture.  Will Toy Story 3 be the first animated film to win the Oscar for Best Picture?  Probably not, but that doesn't mean it won't win Best Animated Film
This is Randy Newman's third Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for Toy Story.  He's done the music for all three Toy Story films and has been nominated every time.  He hasn't won, however, so it's unlikely he'll win again.  His song "We Belong Together" is up against songs from Country Strong, Tangled, and 127 Hours.
The fifth nomination for Toy Story 3 is Sound Editing which to me is just random.

On a side note:  I forgot to mention before that the lovely Anne Hathaway and handsome James Franco will be hosting the Academy Awards this year.  Does Franco's hosting risk his chances of winning?  Who knows?  We'll find out in 25 days.